User blog:MainLineEngines/More About the J11s
David is a Robinson GCR Class 9J or LNER J11. But he was only one of the 174 J11s built for the Great Central Railway. History on Robinson John George Robinson was born in 1856, and in 1900 was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the Great Central Railway (GCR). In 1901, he created his first goods design, the 9J of course, and continued to work until about 1923-ish. At Grouping (1923), the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) choose him to be CME, but he was close to retirement, and so declined, but did recommened Sir Nigel Gresley, (Dodger's designer by the way), and continued office with the LNER, also becoming director of Beyer, Peacock, and Co. Ltd. He later died in Bournemouth, 7th of December, 1943. History on the 9Js/J11s themselfs The 9Js were built at several workshops over the GCR, them being, Neilson, Reid, and Co., Beyer, Peacock, and Co. Ltd., Vulcan Foundary, Yorkshire Engine Company, and Gorton Works. Neilson, Reid and Co. built the first 40 9Js in 1901 and 1902. Beyer, Peacock, and Company Ltd. built the next 25 in 1903 and 1904, Then, Gorton Works built at least 70 and VR and YR Co. both built at least 15. This all equaled 174 locomotives by 1910. They were quick to acquire the nickname 'Pom-Poms' due to the similar exhaust noise to the same quick-firing gun used in the South African War. There allocations and numbered were scattered. They were all built with slide valves (which are retained), and saturated boilers, except for No. 16, built in 1909, which had superheated boilers. Superheated replacement boilers were placed between 1918 and 1925 with boiler pressure reduced to 160psi with slide valves. J10 No. 134 was classified a 9J for a time in 1908 until 1924. The first 9Js had twin-column Ramsbottom safety valves, and from 1904-5 they had four-cloumn Ramsbottom safety valves. Eventually, by 1939, they had all recieved Ross pop safety valves. Thompson (Delete's designer) chose the 9J to be his LNER post war standard classes. As David has mentioned, the 9Js were popular, and ran almost every type of goods train to even ocassional passengers trains. Eighteen were loaned to France during Railway Operating Division in 1917 and returned safely in 1919 with only No. 1034 damaged which was scrapped. At Grouping, they were reclassified J11 and allocated to Immingham, Gorton, Annesley, Woodford, Lincoln, Sheffield, Neasden, Mexborough, Langwith, Leicester, Tuxford, and Retford, where David was allocated. None were never named and only carried LNER pre-war numbers prefixed with 5000 from GCR numbers, post-war numbers were scattered. BR numbers were from 64280 to 64453. They began withdrawls from 1954, and ended in 1962. None but BR No. 64349 remained by 1963. Though in real life, none have been preserved. Some Great Central Railway info *It is referred to as 'The Last Main Line' in which in work through the late 20th century and 21st century made it obsolete. *The motto is "Foward" in which David and other GC locomotives can be found saying. *Chimneys fitted to Robinson locomotvies are considered elegant for the UK, as the taper is larger than the base than the rim. *The largest signal box was at Wrawby Junction with 132 levers. *It is now a heritage railway, with eight main line steam engines in operation, several on overhaul, several industrial tank engines, many on overhaul, four operational Diesel shunters, and a good number of Main Line Diesel locomotives and Diesel/Electric multiple units. Thanks to The London and North Eastern Railway Encyclopedia, and BRDatebase for info on the GCR Class 9J. Category:Blog posts